Low-Cost GNSS For Precise Positioning

The all-band GNSS module provides centimeter-level precision at lower cost, enabling navigation for industries like construction, agriculture, robotics, and smart cities.

The u-blox, a provider of positioning and short-range communication technologies, has launched the ZED-X20P, an all-band GNSS module. This module offers centimeter-level location precision at up to 90% lower cost than traditional solutions, making navigation accessible to the mass market.

Leveraging u-blox’s expertise in GNSS technology, the module removes cost and technical barriers, enabling global navigation for various applications. It is primarily targeted at industrial sectors such as construction, surveying, agriculture, rail, maritime, mining, and deformation monitoring. Other applications include UAVs, ground robotics, delivery robots, smart cities, and virtual reality.

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For positioning, the module is compatible with various GNSS correction services, including satellite-based corrections via L-band, without requiring additional hardware. Customers can opt for u-blox’s PointPerfect, which provides PPP-RTK, network RTK, and global PPP corrections for performance and scalability. The module also supports Galileo E6, enabling access to the free Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) and standard RTK services, both free and commercial.

Since location data is essential for many of the ZED-X20P’s applications, the module includes end-to-end security to protect navigation data and safeguard one of the sensors in the host device.

The company claims that the module is designed for integration into both new and existing products. By combining all positioning functions into a module with an all-band receiver and built-in correction data processing, it eliminates the need for additional receivers or on-host processing. Retaining the ZED form factor also provides an upgrade path for existing customers, including those using the ZED-F9P.

Stephan Zizala, CEO of u-blox, elaborated: “We are excited that customers can now start working with our new ZED-X20P module, which integrates a unique combination of u-blox GNSS single chip, firmware, and correction service within a module. It enables trustworthy centimeter-level positioning around the globe. Applications like mobile robots, precision agriculture, and automated construction machines will benefit from superior performance at a significantly lower cost than more traditional solutions.”